Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/277

 B. xi. c. xiv. 5, 6. ARMENIA. 269 Chorzene l and Cambysene are the most northerly countries, and particularly subject to falls of snow. They are contigu- ous to the Caucasian mountains, to Iberia, and Colchis. Here, they say, on the passes over mountains, it frequently happens that whole companies of persons have been over- whelmed in violent snow-storms. Travellers are provided against such dangerous accidents with poles, which they force upwards to the surface of the snow, for the purpose of breath- ing, and of signifying their situation to other travellers who may come that way, so that they may receive assistance, be extricated, and so escape alive. They say that hollow masses are consolidated in the snow, which contain good water, enveloped as in a coat ; that ani- mals are bred in the snow, which Apollonides call scoleces, 2 and Theophanes, thripes, and that these hollow masses con tain good water, which is obtained by breaking open their coats or coverings. The generation of these animals is sup- posed to be similar to that of the gnats, (or mosquitos,) from flames, and the sparks in mines. 5. According to historians, Armenia, which was formerly a small country, was enlarged by Artaxias and Zariadris, who had been generals of Antiochus the Great, and at last, after his overthrow, when they became kings, (the former of Sophene, Acisene, (Amphissene ?) Odornantis, and some other places, the latter of the country about Artaxata,) they simultaneously aggrandized themselves, by taking away por- tions of the territory of the surrounding nations : from the Medes they took the Caspiana, Phaunitis, and Basoropeda ; from the Iberians, the country at the foot of the Pary- adres, the Chorzene, and Gogarene, which is on the other side of the Cyrus ; from the Chalybes, and the Mosynceci, Carenitis and Xerxene, which border upon the Lesser Arme- nia, or are even parts of it ; from the Cataones, Acilisene, 3 and the country about the Anti-Taurus ; from the Syrians, Taronitis ; 3 hence they all speak the same language. 6. The cities of Armenia are Artaxata, called also Artax- 1 Kars is the capital of this country. 2 <TKtoi]KaQ and flpiTrag, species of worms. See Smith, art. Chorzene. 8 Melitene. Groskurd. which is called by Tacitus, Ann. xiv. 24, Taraunitium (not Tarani- tium) regio.
 * It corresponds, Kramer observes, with Taron, a province of Armenia,